There is no doubt that in summer the undisputed star of the vegetable garden is the tomato. It is at its very best and gives us its finest flavour. Perfect in salads or cold soups such as gazpacho or salmorejo, in this savoury tomato tart it becomes the true star, just as it does in many of the traditional Mediterranean vegetable flatbreads.
On this occasion, the savoury tomato pie I am sharing with you is based on a typical recipe from the southern United States. A traditional Southern tomato pie that is a real gem for enjoying all the virtues of ripe summer tomatoes. The combination of their flavour with fresh herbs, cheese and the rest of the ingredients creates a wonderfully aromatic and delicious result.
What is more, like most savoury tarts, it has the advantage that it can be prepared in advance. Once it comes out of the oven, it needs to rest and cool so that the flavours can settle. You can make it before heading to the beach or spending the morning by the pool, or take it with you for a picnic.
Here is the recipe for the savoury tomato tart. I really encourage you to make it; you will see that the result is absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry or shortcrust pastry
- 450 g tomatoes (approximately 2 large tomatoes)
- 120 g mayonnaise
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 115 g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
- 110 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 25 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 5 g Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (approx. 15 ml)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Method
- Wash and cut the tomatoes into slices that are not too thick (about 0.5 cm). Arrange the slices on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Season to taste and leave them to rest for around 30 minutes so they release excess moisture.
- Heat the oven to 220°C.
- Lightly flour the work surface. Lay out the pastry and, if necessary, roll it out with a rolling pin until it is about 3 mm thick.
- Grease the Lodge fluted cast iron tart pan and place the pastry inside. Leave the edges overhanging by about 2–3 cm so you can fold them over and press the pastry against the pan to shape it. Sprinkle a little cornmeal over the pastry so it absorbs some of the moisture from the tomatoes and prevents the base of the tart from becoming too soft.
- Place the mayonnaise, whole egg, egg yolk, cheeses, mustard, hot sauce, spices and chopped fresh herbs in a bowl. Mix all the ingredients until fully combined and smooth. Set aside.
- Pat the tomatoes thoroughly dry with kitchen paper and arrange a few slices over the base of the tart, using roughly one third of the tomato slices.
- Spread half of the cheese mixture over the top.
- Cover with another layer of tomatoes, add the remaining mixture and finish with the remaining tomato slices to form a final layer.
- Bake the tart for 20 minutes at 220°C.
- After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 190°C and bake for another 20 minutes, covering the tart with a sheet of aluminium foil or baking paper. If possible, avoid letting the paper touch the tomatoes.
- Once the time has elapsed, remove the covering and bake the tart for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the tart from the oven and leave it to cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.
